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This week's biggest matches to watch on Rugby Pass
Challenge and Champions Cup rugby returns oop north, while some tasty Super Rugby and NRL fixtures keep the party going south of the equator.
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NRL: Storm vs Panthers (Saturday, April 1, 4:30 pm HKT)
Everyone’s talking up the Panthers this season but it’s been hard to get a gauge on them in the first four weeks. Sure, they looked good demolishing the Knights 40-0 last week and dispatched the Tigers in a similar fashion, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if those two teams ended up fighting for the wooden spoon this year. Their 14-12 loss to the Roosters in Round 3 is probably a better indication, but the Storm are the one true consistent benchmark of the NRL. If the Panthers can steal 2 points off them at AAMI Park on Saturday night you can be assured they’re the real deal.
Challenge Cup: Bath vs Brive (Saturday, April 1, 7:45 pm HKT)
A long time ago, in a tournament far, far away, these two sides met in the final of the 1998 European Cup. At the time, the French side were the reigning champions but Bath won a tight game in Bordeaux to lift the first – and biggest – of their two European titles. But that was then. This is now. Bath come into the game on the back of that 53-10 loss at Saracens, their worst domestic defeat since 2002. They will be relieved to enjoy the comforts of home against notoriously poor travellers Brive, though they need to beware the howitzer boot of Gaetan Germain.
Champions Cup: Leinster vs Wasps (Saturday, April 1, 10:15 pm HKT)
This encounter, between two longtime European rivals noted for their attacking, high-intensity rugby, bears all the hallmarks of the match of the quarterfinal weekend, if not this year’s two European competitions. Leinster and Wasps top their respective domestic leagues with records that are uncannily, mouthwateringly, similar. Both sides have played 18 games in their respective competitions. Both have lost just three times. Leinster have scored more tries (79 to Wasps’ 73) and conceded fewer (38 to Wasps’ 49) but the Premiership outfit has scored more points (577 to Leinster’s 573). And there’s always the memory of Wasps win in Dublin in last year’s competition… Expect an edge-of-the-seat encounter, with a semi-final against the winners of Clermont vs Toulon the prize.
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Champions Cup: Munster vs Toulouse (Sunday, April 2, 12:45am HKT)
Random fact klaxon: Whoever wins here will set a new record for European Cup appearances when they meet either Saracens or Glasgow in the semifinal – both sides are currently locked on 156 games each. These two sides go way back, most notably nine years ago when they met in a tense final in Cardiff. The Irish side edged that game, but have not appeared in the showpiece match since, while Toulouse were crowned champions once more in 2010. For Munster, this European campaign has been a tribute to head coach Anthony Foley, who died hours before their scheduled opening pool match against Racing 92 in October. They roared through the pool phase to set up this home quarter-final at Thomond Park. Toulouse, meanwhile, edged in by denying Connacht a bonus point in the final match of the pool phase.
Super Rugby: Waratahs vs Crusaders (Sunday, April 2, 2:05 pm HKT)
A rare Sunday night game of Super Rugby sees the Waratahs host the Crusaders in a history-filled encounter in Sydney. For ‘Tahs faithful it’s a chance to remember the glory days of the 2014 final, but with that game’s goalkicking hero Bernard Foley’s fitness looking doubtful they could be in for a tough night. If this season’s form is any indication they’ll want to open up at least a 30 point first half lead if they want to withstand the inevitable Crusaders comeback. But if the Reds can get as close as the last kick of the game, the Waratahs will back themselves to go one better.
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Champions Cup: Saracens vs Glasgow Warriors (Sunday, April 2, 8:00 pm HKT)
Gregor Townsend’s Glasgow entered uncharted European waters when they booked their place in the last eight of the Champions Cup for the first time in their history. It’s just their luck that the seedings meant they get to face the defending champions in their own backyard. In the past three Champions Cup competitions, only two of the 12 quarter-finals have been won by the visiting team. On both occasions, that visiting team was Saracens. Now, they are at home, with a full contingent of internationals at their disposal. Glasgow are ambitious, and they have a fair few big-game players of their own, but this is Allianz Park, where away wins are rarer than hens’ teeth.
Champions Cup: Clermont vs Toulon (Sunday, April 2, 10:15 pm HKT)
Champions Cup rivalries do not get any bigger than this. Clermont – top seeds after the pool stages – have a third European final in five seasons in their sights, but their previous two appearances ended in defeat to their Top 14 rivals and opponents this weekend. Toulon, meanwhile, scraped into the last eight by the skin of their teeth courtesy of a losing bonus-point against Saracens in the final round of the pool stages. Their reward: this apparent mission impossible at Stade Marcel Michelin – where not many visiting teams enjoy success, and where the hosts have averaged 45 points a game in Europe. Clermont also hammered Toulon 30-6 when the two sides met here in the Top 14 in January, when they destroyed the visitors’ scrum at will. A few days later, a certain Richard Cockerill arrived in the Var to take up a short-term job as consulting forwards coach.
Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments